Andrew Melder

A sleek alternative to an older AlphaSmart or pricey Freewrite portable word processors

If you are familiar with the modern Freewrite distraction-free writing devices but have scoffed at the price of such niche items; you have possibly looked into the more budget friendly AlphaSmart devices of yesteryear.

For many in the U.S the AlphaSmart word processors was their entry into early computing due to their popularity in schools as an affordable computing device, compared to the pricey laptops available at the time. Recently, they have seen a resurgence in popularity as a distraction-free offline writing device in an ever connected modern world.

In my development towards ways of working more effectively; I discovered the joy of a distraction-free device by using an old PSION Series 5 PDA as my journaling device last year. Unfortunately as many of those old devices do, it developed a screen ribbon cable issue and eventually died.

In search of a replacement, I ended up down the rabbit hole of Freewrites, AlphaSmarts and even DIY WriterDeck devices to fulfill the gap left by the PSION.

It was during this time I stumbled across a little known set of devices called The Writer word processors by Advanced Keyboard Technologies Inc.

Why Forte over AlphaSmart?

Now from a device needs perspective, the older AlphaSmart devices fulfilled all my needs for a dedicated writing device; but there was one reason I never pulled the trigger on one: aesthetics.

I know how stupid that sounds as I write it but I have to be honest. Even the Freewrite devices (apart from the upcoming Alpha device) are not the most pleasing devices to look at from my perspective. While functionality should triumph form; form matters when you want a reason to use something on days you don’t really feel like it.

The Writer Forte, to me, is a pretty nice looking unit. It has an old school gadget feel to it without looking out of place in the modern world. Apart from the original AlphaSmart Pro (which is basically an old Mac keyboard with a screen), this is the most pleasant looking writing device outside of some custom made WriterDecks.

So what can it do?

At a high level, it allows you to write and create text without the distraction of notifications, internet browsers and services fighting for your attention.

The Forte adds a bit more functionality to its arsenal. While made for students like the AlphaSmart, the Writer series was designed to help students with learning difficulties. As such, it includes other functions built in such as a dictionary with spell checking, thesaurus, a word prediction function which allows students to find the next word more easily in their sentence etc.

It also includes other mini programs to help students learn such as a typing tutor called Perfect Form, a math application, and writing prompts that provide an idea for a student to start writing from.

Overall these additional functions are very useful for those who need it, but don’t get in the way of those who just want a dedicated word processor.

Much like newer AlphaSmarts, the Forte has a USB-B (think printer cable) connection to connect to a computer and send files via emulating a device keyboard. The Forte has a much more useful way of file transfer however via it’s USB-A port. With it, you can plug in any USB thumb drive and copy files from your Forte to the thumb drive as a standard txt file. This makes backup and transfer of text so much easier than the USB-B method.

Yeah yeah, but how is the keyboard?

All this talk about writing is fine, but anyone who has typed on any device for a long period of time will tell you the functions are all useless if the keyboard is bad to use. And let me tell you…this is fine.

That comment needs some clarity.

I’m not a writer. I work on computers all day as part of my job and I find typing more natural than handwriting; but I’m still not a writer.

I’m also not a mechanical keyboard guy. Laptop keys (such as my M1 Mac Air) work just fine for me and I use a MX Keys Mini at home. I’m also able to adapt fairly well to non-standard layouts; with the PSION Series 5 PDA being an example of something that works once you get used to its specific layout. (main article picture is a size comparison of all 3 devices)

Based on this, I don’t feel like I can give a proper description of how good or not this keyboard is as a writing implement. For my needs, it has enough travel on the keys to feel nice and I’ve been typing this article out without feeling hindered by it.

The one thing I do need to get used to is some of the layout. Being a smaller form factor, they have moved the right Shift key inwards to cater for the directional arrows. As a result, it is sometimes easy for me to hit the Up arrow with my pinky instead of the Shift key.

Again, something I’ll get used to fairly quickly but it should be known for those more picky about their keyboard layouts. As I sit here using this thing though, it is so far off from being a deal breaker for this device given the benefits on such a focused piece of hardware.

OK, you got me interested. What do I need to look out for?

Alright, no device is perfect and its usefulness will depend on your needs and what you value. But, if you are interested in one of these there are a couple of items I would suggest to keep an eye on.

The main one is battery. These devices run on an older style NiMH battery despite being fairly modern (this one is from 2013). Check for one that does not only work but hold charge as sourcing a replacement might not be possible or viable. The good news is that the battery seems easy to take out and is connected to the motherboard by a standard battery connector, which means it might be possible to replace and power it via Eneloops or an alternative battery pack.

The second one is to try and get one that comes with a AC charger. This is not always useful as my one did come with one but didn’t work. Thankfully for me, I managed to find another one from another device that worked; however the few discussions I found on this device on Reddit seem to list finding a working charger as a problem.

Edit: Since writing this, it would seem that the older Fusion models are the ones with the unusual power plug. The Forte has a more standard barrel plug which is way more common.

The third is less an issue but more a recommendation: find one that has the carrying case. The Forte is an odd wedge shape, and to protect the keys I would suggest keeping it in case even if you travel with it in a laptop section of a bag. I was lucky enough to find an eBay seller which had the official case in the package. Well recommended.

Overall I’ve called this post a “first impressions” cause I’ve really only just gotten this device. As such, I can’t give any opinions about it from a long term perspective but I can say this: I have no regrets about taking the plunge so far.

At a fraction of the cost of any Freewrite, and comparable to equivalent AlphaSmarts from what I’ve seen, it feels like a great option for those looking to dip their toes into the distraction free writing space but are unsure of the time and money investment the modern options require.